Grand Coulee Dam: Pouring the Concrete
Clip: Season 24 Episode 6 | 1m 56s
It took millions of cubic yards of concrete to build Grand Coulee Dam.
On December 6, 1935, the first bucket of concrete was poured onto the dam site. To prevent the possibility of cracking, concrete was poured into hundreds of 50 foot square blocks every 72 hours. After each pour, workers would scrub the concrete with wide brushes to remove scum. Millions of cubic yards were poured, and in February 1938, the foundation was completed 14 months ahead of schedule.
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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
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Grand Coulee Dam: Pouring the Concrete
Clip: Season 24 Episode 6 | 1m 56s
On December 6, 1935, the first bucket of concrete was poured onto the dam site. To prevent the possibility of cracking, concrete was poured into hundreds of 50 foot square blocks every 72 hours. After each pour, workers would scrub the concrete with wide brushes to remove scum. Millions of cubic yards were poured, and in February 1938, the foundation was completed 14 months ahead of schedule.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.